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STATE: South Carolina Department of Education Announces Summer Meals Program

Wed, 01/31/2018 - 1:54pmVic MacDonald

By:

South Carolina Department of Education

It is crucial that our students return from the fun-filled summer months both happy and healthy. Through our summer meals program last year, we provided approximately four million nutritious meals to students in need.” - South Carolina State Superintendent Molly Spearman

The South Carolina Department of Education’s Office of Health and Nutrition offers local government agencies, school districts, faith-based and private nonprofit organizations an excellent opportunity to provide summer meals to children by becoming a sponsor or a summer meal site for our Summer Meals Program.

This program is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and administered by the South Carolina Department of Education to serve healthy meals to children during the summer months when school is not in session.

"It is crucial that our students return from the fun-filled summer months both happy and healthy. Through our summer meals program last year, we provided approximately four million nutritious meals to students in need,” said South Carolina State Superintendent Molly Spearman.

Many of the summer meal sites go beyond serving nutritious meals and offer learning enrichment programs and activities that assist with the decrease in the academic slide many students experience during the summer months. “Our previous summer meals program’s sponsors and meal sites made it possible for us to reach so many students again. Now we are looking for even more sponsors and meal sites to increase the amount of children we can help as we prepare for the upcoming summer break,” said Spearman.

“Even with students on a break from school, their nutrition is always a priority,” said Ron Jones, Director of the Office of Health and Nutrition. “Unfortunately, children that receive free and reduced price meals during the school year may not be getting the same nutrition assistance during their summer break. Our goal is to grow this program to fill the nutritional gap experience during the summer for as many students in need as possible.”

“We cannot surpass our efforts from last year without the help of more eligible organizations serving as sponsors or meal sites in their community,” said Jones. Sponsors can operate the program and feed students at sites like schools, churches, recreation centers, hospital cafeterias, farmer’s markets, community and migrant centers, and other areas in the local community.

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and USDA civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, religious creed, disability, age, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by the USDA.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech disabilities may contact the USDA through the Federal Relay Service at 1 (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to the USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call 1 (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to the USDA by: